


Heightened to an Unfortunate Degree

by AstralDragons



Series: Symptoms [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Gen, MJ's got Peter's back even if she's a little weird sometimes, Peter Parker Has Issues, Peter Parker Has Panic Attacks, Peter has misophonia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-30 19:50:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17835065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstralDragons/pseuds/AstralDragons
Summary: Peter's spider senses are cool as hell and extremely useful for patrolling New York, stopping crime, and fighting other Avengers.Unfortunately, his spider senses don't exactly have an 'off' switch.





	Heightened to an Unfortunate Degree

**Author's Note:**

> Ayy here I am with another oneshot in tow. I feel a lot less confident about this one than the first in the series, but I diiiid want to explore the downsides Peter experiences from suddenly having superpowers, and, well. 
> 
> I have an unfortunate amount of personal experience with this one.
> 
> So yes, I'm totally projecting and Peter now suffers from misophonia and general hypersensitivity like I do. Enjoy!

_Sshff, shfff…_

 

Peter frowns as he digs through his backpack, trying to keep his gaze on the front of the room.

 

_Calculator… no. Granola bar, no-- pencil case, origami crane--_

 

_Oh no._

_Shit._

_SHIT._

 

Okay. Okay. It’s fine. He can make it through a day without his earbuds. Like a normal kid. He can handle it, because he’s tough. He doesn’t need them--

 

Peter bites his lip, shoulders involuntarily hunching up to his ears.

 

God, it’s so bad today. The noises are just… _everywhere_. Coming from all sides. Shuffling and loud breathing and mingling whispers and voices and coughing and sniffing--

 

Peter’s breathing quickens. He thinks he might be sick. There are too many noises and the lights above are _far_ too bright, whoever invented the harsh school lighting needs to be fired immediately--

 

He winces, feeling his nails digging into the soft flesh of his arms. It hurts and he can’t breathe, he can’t focus, and now tears are threatening to boil over just because _he can’t handle it, he’s not normal, but this is all his fault and he needs to toughen up but FUCK the noises they’re EVERYWHERE--_

 

Peter hisses weakly under his breath before fleeing the room, ignoring pointed stares from the teacher and other students alike. As soon as the door closes behind him and he’s out in the hallway-- dead silent, nobody else-- he gasps out a stuttering exhale and sits down with a _thunk_. He rests his back against the wall and pulls his knees up to his chest in a tight embrace.

 

He’d been fine _before_. He hadn’t been able to hear all the little noises, and they hadn’t bothered him. But now…

It felt like… he didn’t know how to describe it. The tiniest of noises was enough to set him off, and it felt like someone scraping their nails against the chalkboard, _but nobody else in the room could hear it._ It didn’t bother anyone else when someone in the room started to sniffle, when a few kids were just getting over a common cold.

 

But after the spider bite, he could _hear all of it_ . Every last little noise, making his skin prickle to the point of aching, making enraged, intrusive thoughts enter his head-- _violent_ thoughts that would terrify him because he would _never_ hurt anybody but the goddamn _noises_ …

 

Peter’s muscles suddenly stiffen as he hears the door to the classroom creak open behind him. He refuses to look up, but he knows those shuffling footsteps in particular, recognizes the beaten-up sneakers that are now in front of him.

 

MJ kneels to Peter’s eye level, an impassive look on her face as per usual. His brows furrow as he tilts his head to look up at her and meet her gaze.

“I’m-- MJ, what’re you doing out here? I’m-- I’m fine, I’ll… I’ll go back inside in a minute, I just… I, um…”

 

Without another word, MJ is grasping his hand. Peter’s face heats up at the contact, his stammering becoming incoherent.

“Wait, what, MJ, what--”

 

Cords…?

No, that’s--

Peter’s eyes widen.

 

MJ is shoving earbuds into his hand. He looks down at his hand, unsure of what to say, before quickly lifting his head to meet her gaze once more. “Why…?”

 

She snorts, using her other hand to lightly shove his shoulder. “I always bring a spare pair with me. You can borrow them for today, just make sure to give ‘em back after school. Got it?”

 

Still stunned, Peter nods mutely before tentatively reaching for the phone in his pocket and attaching the earbuds.

“...MJ, how did you know I, um…?”

 

MJ leans back, running a hand through her messy nest of hair. “The noises, right? I looked over and saw how freaked out you were getting, and… y’know. I connected the dots.”

She shrugs. “Let’s just say you’re not the only one who has misophonia around here.”

 

Peter opens his mouth, the confused whirlwind of thoughts swirling about his head forming into one, cohesive word: “...Miso… phonia?”

 

MJ quirks a brow at him. “Yeah, misophonia. Where little noises-- like sniffing or coughing and stuff-- trigger a fight-or-flight response… kinda comes with the territory of having anxiety or above-average senses. I’ve had it since… middle school, I think? So I can kinda tell where you’re coming from.”

 

_There’s… there’s actually a word for it?_

 

_And. I’m not the only one. I thought it was just a… Spider-Man thing… But I guess that explains why she usually has headphones or earbuds in--_

 

Peter glances down at the earbuds before looking up at MJ once more, a grateful look in his eyes.

“I’m-- thanks, MJ. I owe you one.”

 

“Yeah, you sure do, on top of those ten bucks you owe me from last week.” She smirks and offers a hand out to Peter. “Now c’mon, Mrs. Bunch is gonna have an aneurism if we don’t go back. You can go first and I’ll just say I went to the bathroom once I come back in.”

 

Peter exhales softly, his muscles already beginning to loosen up as he takes MJ’s waiting hand. She pulls him up easily before slugging him in the shoulder, a coy smile on her face. “I’ll accept lunch as payment for this little favor, just sayin’.”

 

Peter shoves her back, a tiny smirk tugging at the corners of his own lips. “Alright, alright. I’ll bring you whatever you want, as long as it’s not too expensive.”

“Atta boy.” MJ shoves her hands in her hoodie pockets before nodding to the classroom door. “Alright, go get ‘em, tiger. I’ll be back in a couple minutes after my ‘bathroom break’.”

 

Peter nods, shooting a smile her way. “I-- yeah. Thanks a lot, MJ. I appreciate it.”

 

She doesn’t say anything-- she merely waves over her shoulder as she wanders down the hallway. Peter thinks he can hear her humming some off-key tune.

 

He glances back down at the earbuds before shoving them into his ears, sighing in relief as he hits the _play_ button on his phone.

 

_Thunder, feel the thunder… Lightning and the thunder…_

 

Peter reaches for the door handle, any remaining traces of panic in his body already fading away along to the beat of the music.

 

_At least I’m not alone, for once._

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this far! As per usual, comments and kudos are much appreciated. <3


End file.
